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Today “Minestrone”! Oggi “Vegetable Soup”!

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At the first sign of cold weather we all long for a nice vegetable soup. What’s the secret for a great “minestrone”? Here are some tips I learned from my Mom:

  • NO bitter-tasting vegetables  (dandelion,asparagus) or  any fennel-like  veggie (bok choy, fennel etc.)
  • add at least one cup of sweet peas (I use them frozen if I can’t find them fresh)
  • add  a nice chunk of butter-nut squash or pumpkin
  • add one ripe tomato or a couple of peeled tomatoes (to improve the color)
  • lots of basil leaves
  • the more various and numerous the vegetables the better for your health and for the taste of the soup
  • the soup tastes even better consumed next day or after a few days  (keep it refrigerated in a glass container)
  • make it your Clean-Out-Fridge recipe: use your scraps!

photos by Coco Zordan

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The Recipe

Servings

8-10

Prep time

15 min.

Cooking time

60 min.

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Ingredients

  • (frozen or fresh) sweet peas 1 cup

  • potatoe 1

  • carrot 1

  • butternut squash (or pumpkin) half

  • onion or/leek and/or shallot and/or garlic 1

  • celery 2 stalks

  • zucchini 1

  • tomatoes or tomato concentrate or peeled tomatoes 1 cup

  • broccoli or cabbage 1 cup

  • previously soaked or fresh beans (also lentils are good) 1 cup

  • bouillon cubes and /or salt to taste

  • parmesan cheese

  • extra-vergin olive oil

  • freshly ground black pepper

  • soup with pasta

  • short pasta (ditatlini,pipette,small shells,orecchiette) 1/2 box (1/2 lb.)

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Directions

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Throughly wash all produce. Chop them.  Add chopped vegetables and peas  in a large pot, cover with (filtered) water, cover with lid and  let cook till it starts boiling.  Lower  heat and let  simmer for about 40/50 minutes. Add  salt and  stock(s) after 20/30 minutes.  Taste it to be sure the vegetables are soft and there’s enough salt/stock. If you like you can blend the soup while still warm with an immersion blender directly in the pot to make a creamy soup  (passato di verdura) that’s usually very popular among young kids. I usually set aside some chopped vegetables before  using the blender to add to my plate.

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Add some previously cooked pasta (cooked al dente), rice, barley or farro to make it a fully satisfying dish, a one-dish meal. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano cheese, ground pepper and a drizzle of XVOO.

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